On The Street Where You Live - The Sex Offender

A Level Three Sex Offender moved into the neighborhood. Right across the street. Someone classified as a Level Three means there's a strong likelihood that they will commit subsequent sex crimes. Re-offend. Do it again. And again.

I know he moved into the neighborhood because Family Watchdog warned me. I'm enrolled in their email program that alerts me anytime a sex offender moves into the area. It's a free program - you give them your home address, email address, and they do the rest (at their website, click on "get free alerts"). I get updated emails every week or so. This is much easier than trying to keep up with the address changes that are listed in the newspaper.

My jaw dropped when I read this guy's address. I had seen new renters move into the house across the way. They'd sit on the porch and watch Cassie and me as we'd leave the house, or when we'd return home (but all neighbors do that). I waved to them one morning. I was going to take over cookies to welcome them to the neighborhood. Gulp.

I weighed the right of a person to begin anew versus the classification of Level Three.

I hit the archives of the local newspaper to see what news articles had been written about him. (This link only works if you have a Lincoln City Libraries library card.)

I checked to see if he'd served time in a Nebraska penitentiary. Or in a federal pen.

Had he been convicted of a crime in Lancaster County?

I looked up the list of people with current arrest warrants being sought by the Lincoln Police Dept or Lancaster County Sheriff.

I checked to see if that address was too close to the nearby Catholic church and school. And then called the Lincoln Police Department. According to Mapquest that address was about 400 feet from the school and a Level Three cannot be closer than 500 feet. But the officer ran his own software and informed me that it's not address-to-address that counts, but property-line-to-property-line and this fellow is actually less than 200 feet away. He thanked me and said they'd get this taken care of right away.

I gave a heads-up to a neighbor, who informed me that the landlord showed up there the next day. I don't know if Mr. Level Three must vacate immediately or if he's allowed a certain length of time to move, but he's still hanging around the premises. I'll be keeping an eye on this.